Catholicos Aram I Offers Condolences and Solidarity to Patriarch John X Following Douweila Attack

OCP News Service – 29/07/2025

Balamand- Lebanon: His Holiness Catholicos Aram I of the Great House of Cilicia for the Armenian Orthodox Church met with His Beatitude John X, the Greek Orthodox Patriarch of Antioch and All the East, at the patriarchal residence in Balamand to offer condolences and express solidarity after the recent tragic events at Saint Elias Church in Douweila-Damascus.

“Your martyrs are ours. What happened in the Church of Saint Elias – Douweila is utterly condemned. May God grant mercy to the martyrs and healing to the wounded,” Catholicos Aram I stated during the meeting.

The Catholicos conveyed his deep sorrow for the martyrs, praying for the eternal repose of their souls and the swift healing of those injured. He underscored the unwavering solidarity of the Armenian Orthodox Church with the Antiochian Orthodox Church, emphasizing the crucial importance of Christian unity and the enduring mission of the Church in the Middle East amidst significant challenges.

Patriarch John X expressed profound gratitude for Catholicos Aram I’s support and solidarity. He highlighted the rich history of Christian witness exemplified by the Armenian Church and affirmed the deep bonds of brotherhood between the two ancient Churches.

The meeting was attended by several prominent figures, including Bishop Shahe Panossian, Armenian Bishop of Lebanon; Bishop Shahan Sarkissian, Director of the Cilician Library; Archimandrite Howakim Banjajian, Head of the Media Department; Archimandrite Sarkis Abrahamian, Head of Ecumenical Relations and Christian-Muslim Dialogue in the Middle East; and Archimandrite George Yaacoub, Abbot of the Patriarchal Monastery of Our Lady of Balamand.

Source:

OCP News Service